The White House defends Trump's tariffs as a necessary correction to decades of failed trade policies that harmed American workers and industry. Citing job losses and rising trade deficits, the administration highlights recent investments from major companies as evidence of the strategy's success.

Trump announced that he authorized a 90 day pause on the lofty tariffs and a “substantially lowered reciprocal tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately” in a post on Truth Social Wednesday afternoon, ending days of speculation around whether or not the tariffs would actually go into effect or were negotiable.

White House officials clarified on Thursday that the 125 percent tariff the president announced on Wednesday was in addition to a 20 percent added to the country since President Trump returned to office.